T-Mobile CFO makes case for U.S. consolidation, Sprint deal

[MrZorbatron]

The necessity, or lack thereof, of device replacement will be a big deciding factor in subscriber retention. Buy a CDMA carrier and you can immediately shitcan their network in areas of significant overlap. Buy a GSM carrier, you need to phase out the phones before you do anything about their network, and before you do that, you need to blanket their coverage areas with CDMA coverage.

[Nickel]

Buy a CDMA carrier and you can immediately shitcan their network in areas of significant overlap.

 

[mozamcrew]

I don't think Ntelos is going to happen since they just agreed to a deal, but I suppose anything is possible.

I thought the deal was only about a reimbursement dispute under their existing agreement. I hadn't heard that Sprint and Ntelos had signed a new agreement where Ntelos agrees to do Network Vision. Did I miss that?

[Nickel]

I thought the deal was only about a reimbursement dispute under their existing agreement. I hadn't heard that Sprint and Ntelos had signed a new agreement where Ntelos agrees to do Network Vision. Did I miss that?

I thought someone said something about NV but I could be mistaken on that.

[cdk]

I thought the deal was only about a reimbursement dispute under their existing agreement. I hadn't heard that Sprint and Ntelos had signed a new agreement where Ntelos agrees to do Network Vision. Did I miss that?

 

 

I thought someone said something about NV but I could be mistaken on that.

 

I am fairly sure the deal was about reimbursements. It is possible that Ntelos wasn't going to commit to NV until that was resolved.

[mozamcrew]

I am fairly sure the deal was about reimbursements. It is possible that Ntelos wasn't going to commit to NV until that was resolved.

I think ntelos has said they plan to start rolling out LTE late this year, the question is what spectrum they plan on using. Their current agreement with Sprint is limited to Sprint's original PCS spectrum IIRC, so they can't be doing LTE on PCS G, 800, or 2.6 without a new agreement. Ntelos does have some spectrum of their own I think. I'm not sure what all they have though (850/AWS/700), but I'm assuming they will be using that for LTE. Otherwise they'd have to canabalize their existing PCS spectrum which is hosting their current 3G CDMA network in order to add LTE. Only the 850 spectrum would be compatible with upcomming triband phones and iPhones since band 26 LTE includes both 800 and 850. I'm very curious to see how this shakes out.

[Mobilesolutions]

I really want sprint to acquire smaller companies such as Ntelos, Us cellular, and other regional companies to expand their coverage

 It would be so much cheaper to acquire a company with the spectrum holdings that are larger than the regional carriers & to make a bust into the ultrahigh speed LTE market.  

-Will

 

I might even have specifics in mind. 

[cdk]

I think ntelos has said they plan to start rolling out LTE late this year, the question is what spectrum they plan on using. Their current agreement with Sprint is limited to Sprint's original PCS spectrum IIRC, so they can't be doing LTE on PCS G, 800, or 2.6 without a new agreement. Ntelos does have some spectrum of their own I think. I'm not sure what all they have though (850/AWS/700), but I'm assuming they will be using that for LTE. Otherwise they'd have to canabalize their existing PCS spectrum which is hosting their current 3G CDMA network in order to add LTE. Only the 850 spectrum would be compatible with upcomming triband phones and iPhones since band 26 LTE includes both 800 and 850. I'm very curious to see how this shakes out.

 

I am fairly sure Ntelos has no 700 or 850 licenses. They do have AWS, PCS, and 2500/2600 though. I am sure if (and when) an agreement is reached it will include the use of the PCS G block and 800 as well.

[MrZorbatron]

I am fairly sure Ntelos has no 700 or 850 licenses. They do have AWS, PCS, and 2500/2600 though. I am sure if (and when) an agreement is reached it will include the use of the PCS G block and 800 as well.

I am fairly sure that such a spectrum use contract would also include first option or right of first refusal on ntelos itself as a company, were it ever to shop itself out or be solicited for an acquisition.

[Fraydog]

The necessity, or lack thereof, of device replacement will be a big deciding factor in subscriber retention. Buy a CDMA carrier and you can immediately shitcan their network in areas of significant overlap. Buy a GSM carrier, you need to phase out the phones before you do anything about their network, and before you do that, you need to blanket their coverage areas with CDMA coverage.

Like Terminator style? Like Ari Gold paint balling the place? (NSFW warning)

 

[Terrell352]

Poor Sprint. T-Mobile just leap frogged them again in LTE coverage. 200 million covered and 233 metro cities vs Sprints like 173 cities and numbers that Sprint won't even release because its probably not that much coverage compared to the competition. T-Mobile also anncouned 20/20 mhz LTE scheduled for next year and no roaming in 100 countries. Combine that with the fact that the G2 will be released almost 2 months later than the other carriers and no One Up in DC/Florida makes me very sad for Sprint this year

[digiblur]

Poor Sprint. T-Mobile just leap frogged them again in LTE coverage. 200 million covered and 233 metro cities vs Sprints like 173 cities and numbers that Sprint won't even release because its probably not that much coverage compared to the competition. T-Mobile also anncouned 20/20 mhz LTE scheduled for next year and no roaming in 100 countries. Combine that with the fact that the G2 will be released almost 2 months later than the other carriers and no One Up in DC/Florida makes me very sad for Sprint this year

All that and they still can't figure out how to cover the interstate or even the city for that matter. Even Sprint has them beat in this area on coverage and that's not saying much.

[Yuhfhrh]

Poor Sprint. T-Mobile just leap frogged them again in LTE coverage. 200 million covered and 233 metro cities vs Sprints like 173 cities and numbers that Sprint won't even release because its probably not that much coverage compared to the competition. T-Mobile also anncouned 20/20 mhz LTE scheduled for next year and no roaming in 100 countries. Combine that with the fact that the G2 will be released almost 2 months later than the other carriers and no One Up in DC/Florida makes me very sad for Sprint this year

 

Cue Sprint this weekend announcing 200 million pops covered, whether they are or not. 

[Terrell352]

They will lie about it and say they are covered even though they are not. Sprint probably hates tmobile right now because its okay if Verizon and At&t are ahead of them but its embarrassing to see t-mobile also ahead and they can't let the public see that

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk now Free

 

 

[Rawvega]

They will lie about it and say they are covered even though they are not. 

 

Doubtful since publicly traded can't just flat out "lie" about information that could influence investors or potential investors. That sort of thing gets you an SEC investigation and possibly worse (if and when our government ever reopens) which no corporation wants, of course.

[Terrell352]

Doubtful since publicly traded can't just flat out "lie" about information that could influence investors or potential investors. That sort of thing gets you an SEC investigation and possibly worse (if and when our government ever reopens) which no corporation wants, of course.

they lied about coverage in my city to the max

 

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk now Free

 

 

[ericdabbs]

They will lie about it and say they are covered even though they are not. Sprint probably hates tmobile right now because its okay if Verizon and At&t are ahead of them but its embarrassing to see t-mobile also ahead and they can't let the public see that

 

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Don't you already know why Tmobile can jump ahead of Sprint in large markets because of the fiber backhaul infrastructure already in place???  I mean it seems you are just rehashing stuff we already know about. The fact is once CDMA 800 and LTE 800 is deployed, Tmobile can't touch Sprint in terms of coverage.  Also who the heck cares about 20x20 LTE....Tmobile still has a ton of work to free up the MetroPCS folks and shut down all of the CDMA carriers plus their limited EVDO carriers as well in order to get the 20x20 LTE build they want to do.

 

Plus we haven't even factored in the LTE 2600 coverage that is set to launch as soon as triband LTE carriers come out.  That should help with LTE coverage for some areas that don't even have LTE 1900 deployed yet.  Like Son said...we have to give Sprint some more time with the new merger to come into fruition.

[Terrell352]

Don't you already know why Tmobile can jump ahead of Sprint in large markets because of the fiber backhaul infrastructure already in place??? I mean it seems you are just rehashing stuff we already know about. The fact is once CDMA 800 and LTE 800 is deployed, Tmobile can't touch Sprint in terms of coverage. Also who the heck cares about 20x20 LTE....Tmobile still has a ton of work to free up the MetroPCS folks and shut down all of the CDMA carriers plus their limited EVDO carriers as well in order to get the 20x20 LTE build they want to do.

 

Plus we haven't even factored in the LTE 2600 coverage that is set to launch as soon as triband LTE carriers come out. That should help with LTE coverage for some areas that don't even have LTE 1900 deployed yet. Like Son said...we have to give Sprint some more time with the new merger to come into fruition.

I know and am aware if all of this but there is the fact of we are not promised tomorrow.

 

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[Rawvega]

they lied about coverage in my city to the max

 

Really? How so? Is there not LTE in your city?

[Terrell352]

Yes there is but its not where they say it is. Even my home is listed as best coverage but there is no LTE inside or out on my EVO or GS3 and the closest tower to my home is exactly 0.5 miles away that has yet to see a upgrade.

Really? How so? Is there not LTE in your city?

[Terrell352]

Also I am not a Sprint hater. I want them to succeed and become a real threat to the big 2 and one day hopefully this will happen. Sprints only flaw to me is there data and once they get that under control complaints will become not exsistent not just for me but everyone. I mean did you guys see the bashing they get on Fb on every post?

[Rawvega]

 

Yes there is but its not where they say it is. Even my home is listed as best coverage but there is no LTE inside or out on my EVO or GS3 and the closest tower to my home is exactly 0.5 miles away that has yet to see a upgrade.

 

They get away with that with a disclaimer* on their coverage map site:

 

 

This tool provides high-level estimates of our wireless coverage. Coverage is not available everywhere and varies based on a number of factors.

 

Every carrier is generous when drawing their coverage maps.

 

Besides, while you declare Sprint to be "lying", what makes you think t-mobile is on the up & up with their claims?

 

Some excerpts from just tonight on HoFo:

 

 

I find it interesting that they say my city is covered but I have only found 2 sites running LTE in the last month

and both are in the extreme downtown.

On my usual Myrtle Beach trip I never saw LTE on my T-Mo phone.

 

Here around town their LTE is about the same speed as Verizon.... 5-7 down and 1-2 up.

But you have to be near 2 of their stores to get it.

 

Everywhere else.... nope.

 

 

 

Same here in Columbia SC. Only Lte sighting are within couple block radius of corporate stores. This is a really misleading sales tactic. 

 

 

There are some exceptions, but that was the first pattern I picked up on when testing TMO here in Richmond. There are a few areas, such as downtown Richmond, that they simply could not get away with NOT covering when "launching" a market, but the only place you will consistently find LTE is within a few blocks of a corporate store.

 

 

Agreed. We have a few sites here and there in my area but so far from done it ain't even funny.

[Terrell352]

Wow so I'm guessing every carrier does this?

They get away with that with a disclaimer* on their coverage map site:

 

 

Every carrier is generous when drawing their coverage maps.

 

Besides, while you declare Sprint to be "lying", what makes you think t-mobile is on the up & up with their claims?

 

Some excerpts from just tonight on HoFo:

[Rawvega]

So it would seem... 

[Fraydog]

For some reason, T-Mobile doesn't seem to get called on this.

 

Now if AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon just launched LTE around a corporate store, and called it a full launch, it would be front page news and those companies would be called out for their lies.